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Hippie

Hippie, occasionally spelled hippy, refers to a subgroup of the 1960s countercultural movement Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 that began in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

, becoming an established social group by 1965, but declining in numbers by the late 1970s. The roots of the hippie movement can be found in Europe, in the naturalist movements of the late 18th century 18th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 18th century refers to the century [i] that las ... 

, and the 19th century 19th century

The 19th century lasted from 1801 [i] through 1900 [i] in the Gregorian calendar [i]. ... 

 back-to-nature movement. According to Time-Life Time-Life

Time-Life is a book, music, and video marketer, that since 2003 has been combined with catalog reseller ... 

, hippies were against political and social orthodoxy, choosing a gentle and nondoctrinaire politics that favored peace, love, and personal freedom.

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Hippie, occasionally spelled hippy, refers to a subgroup of the 1960s countercultural movement Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 that began in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

, becoming an established social group by 1965, but declining in numbers by the late 1970s. The roots of the hippie movement can be found in Europe, in the naturalist movements of the late 18th century 18th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 18th century refers to the century [i] that las ... 

, and the 19th century 19th century

The 19th century lasted from 1801 [i] through 1900 [i] in the Gregorian calendar [i].
... 

 back-to-nature movement.

According to Time-Life Time-Life

Time-Life is a book, music, and video marketer, that since 2003 has been combined with catalog reseller ... 

, hippies were against political and social orthodoxy, choosing a gentle and nondoctrinaire politics that favored peace, love, and personal freedom. Hippies came to feel that a monolithic entity had emerged—composed of corporate industry, corporate media, the military and government—that exercised undue power over their lives. They often referred to this monolithic entity as "The Establishment," "Big Brother," or "The Man."

Hippie opposition to "The Establishment" quickly spread worldwide through a fusion of early rock and roll, folk music Folk music

Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music [i] by and for the common people.
... 

, the blues Blues

Blues music redirects here. For other uses, see Blues [i] and Blues music [i]
... 

 and psychedelic rock that eventually redefined rock music itself. The other creative arts, especially the dramatic arts Drama

Drama is a literary form involving parts written for actor [i]s to perform. ... 

 and the visual arts Visual arts

The visual arts are a class of art forms [i], including painting [i], sculpture [i], film [i] ... 

, contributed to this worldwide impact.

Moving beyond unconventional attire, long hair for both genders, facial hair for men, and rebellion against long-established institutions, hippies sought to champion and implement change. They expressed their desire for change by opposing the Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

, corporate influence, and consumerism; by criticizing Western middle class Middle class

The middle class, in colloquial usage, consists of those people who have a degree of economic independen... 

 values; by embracing aspects of non-Judeo-Christian religious Religion

Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of belief [i]s or attitudes concerning ... 

 cultures ; and by adopting nomadic lifestyles. They also embraced the Civil Rights movement Civil rights movement

Historically, the civil rights movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximat... 

, the expansion of free speech Freedom of speech

Freedom of speech is the concept of being able to speak freely without censorship [i].... 

, sexual liberation, interracial dating Miscegenation

Miscegenation is the mixing of different ethnicities [i] or race [i]s, especially in marriage [i] ... 

, intentional community, free love Free love

The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement [i] ... 

, recreational drug use, simple living, holistic health, environmental consciousness, and alternative technology.

Hippie influence was felt worldwide, especially in Canada Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest [i] country by total area, occupying most ... 

, Great Britain Great Britain

Great Britain is an island lying off the northwestern coast of mainland Europe [i] and to the east of Ireland [i] ... 

, Western Europe Western Europe

Western Europe is mainly a socio-political concept coined [i], forged and used during the Cold War [i]. ... 

, Australia Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere [i] c ... 

 and New Zealand New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean [i] consisting of two large islands and many ... 

, and to a lesser extent in Eastern Europe Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe is the east [i]ern region [i] of Europe [i] variably defined. ... 

, Mexico Mexico

The United Mexican States, generally known as Mexico is a country [i] located in North America [i] ... 

, Argentina Argentina

Argentina is a country in southern South America [i]. ... 

, Brazil Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest and most populous country [i] ... 

 and Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

.

The 21st century has brought with it a neo-hippie Hippie

Hippie, occasionally spelled hippy, refers to a subgroup of the 1960s countercultural movement [i] ... 

 movement, with an ethos similar to that of the original hippies.


Etymology

Reminiscing about late 1930s Harlem in his 1964 autobiography, Malcolm X Malcolm X

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, also known as Detroit Red and El-Hajj Malik [i] El-Shabazz [i]... 

 referred to the word hippy as a term African Americans used to describe a specific type of white man who "acted more Negro than Negroes."

During the 1940s and 1950s the term hipster, coined in 1940 by Harry Gibson, came into usage by the American Beat generation to describe jazz and swing music performers, and the term evolved to describe the bohemian counterculture that formed around the art of the time.

In 1963, British band The Swinging Blue Jeans released the song "Hippy Hippy Shake", which rose to #2 in the British charts and #24 in the US.

On the east coast of the U.S. United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

, in Greenwich Village Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village is a largely residential area on the west side of downtown Manhattan [i] in New York City [i] ... 

, young counterculture Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 advocates were called, and referred to themselves as, hips. At that time, to be hip meant to be "in the know" or "cool", as opposed to being called a stodgy "square". Disaffected youth from the suburbs of New York City New York City

[i] in the [[United States]... 

 flocked to the Village in their oldest clothes to fit into the counterculture movement, the coffee houses, etc. Radio station WBAI WBAI

WBAI, a part of the Pacifica Radio Network [i], is a non-commercial [i], listener-support ... 

 was the first media outlet to use the term hippie as a pejorative term originally meaning "hip wannabes", to describe these poorly-dressed middle class youths.

The first use of the word hippie on US television was on WNBC TV Channel 4 in New York City at the opening of the New York World's Fair on April 22, 1964. Some young anti-Vietnam War protesters Opposition to the Vietnam War

Opposition to U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War began slowly and in small numbers in 1964 on various c... 

, wearing t-shirts, denim jeans and with long hair, staged a sit-in and were called hippies by NYPD officers and reporters. The police fought with and swung their batons at them to chase them off the escalators and they fought back and were arrested. Before that date, the type was generally referred to as beatnik Beatnik

The term beatnik was coined by Herb Caen [i] in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle [i] on ... 

.

September 5, 1965 marked the first San Francisco San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

 newspaper story where hippie appeared in print. Michael Fallon wrote an article about the Blue Unicorn coffeehouse entitled "A New Haven for Beatniks," and he used the term hippie to refer to younger bohemians Bohemianism

Though a Bohemian [i] is a native of the Czech [i] province of Bohemia [i], a secondary meaning ... 

. The name did not catch on in the mass media until almost two years later after San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco Chronicle

Today's San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 [i] as "The Daily Dramatic Chronicle" by teenage... 

 columnist Herb Caen began using the term hippies in his daily columns.

In his book Ringolevio, Emmet Grogan claims that shopkeepers operating out of the Haight-Ashbury Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California

The Haight-Ashbury is a district of San Francisco [i], California [i], USA [i] ... 

 district of San Francisco called themselves the Haight Independent Proprietors and coined the word "Hippy".

History


Antecedents

During the 1890s, there was an active movement in Europe to return to the natural life and get away from polluted, crowded cities. This movement was inspired by authors like Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche , a Prussia [i]n-born philologist [i] and philosopher [i], produced critique ... 

, Goethe Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Johann Wolfgang Goethe, , later von Goethe, was a German [i] polymath [i]: he was a poet [i] ... 

, Hermann Hesse Hermann Hesse

Hermann Hesse was a German [i]-born poet, novelist, and painter who became a Swiss citizen. ... 

, and Eduard Baltzer; many of these authors felt that modern material yearnings were taking people away from a balance with nature, leading to spiritual and physical diseases. As a result, thousands of young Germans turned their backs on modern society and sought a return to nature and the pagan spiritual life of their ancestors. They embraced a variety of lifestyles including vegetarianism Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming meat [i], with or without the use of other animal derivat... 

, fasting, raw food diets, nudism Naturism

The meanings of naturism and nudism are very similar, and refer to a [[cultural movement|cultural]... 

, organic farming Organic farming

Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers [i] ... 

, communal living, along with sun and nature worship.

These ideas were introduced into the United States over several decades as these back-to-nature Germans settled in various places around the country, some of them opening the first health food stores. Many of them moved to Southern California where they could practice their alternative lifestyle in a warm, welcoming land. Quite a few young Americans adopted the beliefs and practices of these new German immigrants out of a desire to stay healthy and avoid succumbing to disease and urban malaise.

Some young Americans formed a group called "The Nature Boys" that took to the California desert, grew organic food and espoused the back-to-nature lifestyle. One member of this group, Eden Ahbez, wrote a hit song called Nature Boy which was recorded in 1947 by Nat King Cole Nat King Cole

Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole was a popular American [i] ... 

. As the song became more popular, Americans became aware of a homegrown back-to-nature movement.

Eventually a few of these Nature Boys, including the famous Gypsy Boots, made their way to Northern California in 1967, just in time for the Summer of Love in San Francisco. The psychedelic posters that announced concerts at the Fillmore Auditorium and other San Francisco venues were heavily influenced by the artist Fidus, one of the original German "hippies".

Hippie culture evolved from the Beat culture of the 1950s 1950s

The 1950s was the decade spanning the years 1950 to 1959.... 

, and it was greatly influenced by the creation of Rock & Roll from Swing and Blues, or what was known as jump blues.

1960-1966


New Left

In his 1961 Farewell Address, President Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was an American [i] soldier and politician.... 

 had warned that the Cold War Cold War

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i]... 

 "conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry" had led to the formation of a "military-industrial complex" that might come to exert "unwarranted influence…in the councils of government." Many Americans saw the dawning of the Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

 as a fulfillment of this prediction. Taking Eisenhower’s warning to heart and believing that corporate industry, driven by greed and served by corporate media, had corrupted government to an extent that it could no longer be trusted, hippies increasingly embraced terms expressive of this distrust, such as Big Brother, The Establishment and The Man.
Haight-Ashbury
Many of the earliest San Francisco hippies were former students at San Francisco State College San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University is a branch of the California State University [i] system. ... 

  who had "dropped out" after they started taking psychedelic drugs and began living communally in the large, inexpensive Victorian Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural style [i]s predominantly i ... 

 apartments in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California

The Haight-Ashbury is a district of San Francisco [i], California [i], USA [i] ... 

 neighborhood. Young Americans around the country began moving to San Francisco, and by June, 1966, around 15,000 hippies had moved into the Haight.
Diggers
Hippie action in the Haight centered around the Diggers, a guerrilla street theater group that combined spontaneous street theater, anarchistic action, and art happenings in their agenda to create a "free city." The Diggers grew from two radical traditions thriving in the area during the mid-1960s 1960s

The 1960s decade [i] refers to the years from 1960 [i] to 1969 [i], inclusive. ... 

: the bohemian/underground art/theater scene, and the new left/civil rights/peace Peace

Peace is commonly understood to mean the absence of hostilities. Other definitions include freedom f... 

 movement.

During the mid and late 1960s, the Diggers opened stores which simply gave away their stock; provided free food, medical care, transport and temporary housing; they also organized free music concerts and works of political art.
Trips Festival
One of the first major psychedelic events in San Francisco was the Trips Festival at Longshoreman's Hall, which took place on January 21-23, 1966 and which was organized by Stewart Brand, Ken Kesey, Owsley Stanley and others. The big night, Saturday January 22, saw the Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company on stage, and 6,000 people arrived to imbibe punch spiked with LSD and witness the first major light show of the era.
Love Pageant Rally
On October 6, 1966, the San Francisco hippies staged an enormous gathering in Golden Gate Park called "The Love Pageant Rally." As explained by Allan Cohen, co-founder of the San Francisco Oracle, the purpose of the rally was two-fold — to draw attention to the fact that LSD had just been made illegal, and to demonstrate that people who used LSD were not criminals, nor were they mentally ill. Rather, people who took LSD were mostly idealistic people who wanted to learn more about themselves and their place in the universe, and they used LSD as an aid to meditation and to creative, artistic expression. Thousands of hits of LSD were distributed free at the rally, and the Grateful Dead Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead were an American [i] psychedelia [i]-influenced rock [i] band form ... 

 played; its huge success drew many more curious seekers to the Haight-Ashbury district.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles also had a vibrant hippie scene during the mid-1960s. The Venice Venice, Los Angeles, California

Venice is a district in west Los Angeles, California [i]. ... 

 coffeehouses and beat culture sustained the hippies, giving birth to bands like The Doors The Doors

The Doors were a popular and influential American [i] rock [i] band that was fo ... 

. Sunset Strip Sunset Strip

The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile and a half stretch [i] of Sunset Boulevard [i] ... 

 became the quintessential L.A. hippie gathering area, with its seminal rock clubs Whisky-a-Go-Go Whisky a Go Go

The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub [i] in West Hollywood, California [i], at 8901 Sunset Boulevard [i] on... 

 and the Troubadour. The Strip was the location of the protest described in Buffalo Springfield Buffalo Springfield

Buffalo Springfield was a short-lived yet highly original and influential folk rock [i] group that serve ... 

's early 1966 hippie anthem, For What It's Worth.

1967-1969


Summer of Love

On January 14, 1967, the outdoor Human Be-In concert provided the initial spark for the Summer of Love. A few months later, Scott McKenzie Scott McKenzie

Scott McKenzie, is a singer best known for his 1967 hit of "San Francisco".
... 

's rendition of John Phillips' song, "San Francisco," became a hit in the United States and Europe. The song's lyrics, "If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair", inspired thousands of young people from all over the world to travel to San Francisco wearing flowers in their hair and distributing flowers to passersby, earning them the name, "Flower Children Flower child

Flower child or Flower Children originated as a synonym for hippie [i], especially those w... 

." Bands like the Grateful Dead Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead were an American [i] psychedelia [i]-influenced rock [i] band form ... 

, Janis Joplin Janis Joplin

Janis Lyn Joplin was an American [i] blues [i]-influenced rock [i] singer a ... 

, and Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane was an American [i] rock band [i] from San Francisco [i] ... 

 contined to live in the Haight during the summer of 1967.

But by the end of the summer, the incessant media coverage of the hippie movement led the Diggers to declare the "death" of the hippie with a parade. When the Summer of Love ended, many of the thousands of flower children returned home bringing new styles, ideas and behaviors to all major U.S. cities and European capitals. Soon London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin and Rome rivaled San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York as hippie centers.

Regarding this period of history, a July 7, 1967 issue of TIME Time

Two distinct views exist on the meaning of time.... 

magazine, featured a cover story entitled, "The Hippies: The Philosophy of a Subculture." The article described the guidelines of the hippie code: "Do your own thing, wherever you have to do it and whenever you want. Drop out. Leave society as you have known it. Leave it utterly. Blow the mind of every straight person you can reach. Turn them on, if not to drugs, then to beauty, love, honesty, fun."
Stephen Gaskin


Beginning in 1967, Stephen Gaskin emerged as an influential figure in the development of hippie philosophical perspectives. His "Monday Night Class" started out as a writing class at San Francisco State College, where Gaskin taught English, creative writing, and general semantics. The Monday Night Class developed into a far-ranging open discussion group involving up to 1500 students and other participants from all over the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1970 Gaskin and his wife, Ina May Gaskin, led a caravan of 60 buses, vans and trucks on a cross country trip to Summertown, Tennessee, where they created an intentional community called "The Farm.” The Farm became a widely respected, spiritually-based hippie community that is still in existence.
People's Park

In April, 1969, the building of People's Park in Berkeley, California received international attention. The University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

 had demolished all the buildings on a 2.8 acre parcel near campus, intending to use the land to build playing fields and a parking lot. After a long delay, during which the site became a dangerous eyesore, thousands of ordinary Berkeley citizens, merchants, students, and hippies took matters into their own hands, planting trees, shrubs, flowers and grass to convert the land into a park. A major confrontation ensued on May 15, 1969, and Governor Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President [i] of the United States [i] ... 

 ordered a two-week occupation of the city of Berkeley by the National Guard National Guard

National Guard may refer to:
... 

. Flower power Flower power

Flower power was a slogan [i] used by hippie [i]s in the late 1960s [i] and early 1970s [i] as a symbol ... 

 came into its own during this occupation as hippies engaged in acts of civil disobedience Civil disobedience

Civil disobedience encompasses the active refusal to obey certain law [i]s, demands and commands of a government [i] ... 

 to plant flowers in empty lots all over Berkeley under the slogan "Let A Thousand Parks Bloom."
Woodstock
In August, 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Festival took place in Bethel, New York, which for many exemplified the best of hippie counterculture. Over 500,000 people arrived to hear the most notable musicians and bands of the era, among them Ritchie Havens, Joan Baez, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, and Jimi Hendrix. Wavy Gravy's Wavy Gravy

Wavy Gravy is a life-long activist for peace and personal empowerment, best known for his hippie [i] app... 

 Hog Farm provided security and attended to practical needs, and the hippie ideals of love and human fellowship seemed to have gained real-world expression.
Altamont
In December, 1969, a similar event took place in Altamont, California, about 30 miles east of San Francisco. Initially billed as "Woodstock West," its official name was The Altamont Free Concert. About 300,000 people gathered to hear The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones are an English [i] rock and roll [i] band that rose to prominence in the earl ... 

, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)

Crosby, Stills & Nash, also Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when including occasional fourth member Neil Young [i] ... 

, Jefferson Airplane Jefferson Airplane

Jefferson Airplane was an American [i] rock band [i] from San Francisco [i] ... 

 and other bands. The Hells Angels Hells Angels

The Hells Angels is a motorcycle gang formed in 1948 [i] in Fontana, California [i], where the local cha ... 

 provided security that proved far less beneficent than the security provided at the Woodstock event--one man was killed when he drew a gun in front of the stage during The Rolling Stones performance, and four accidental deaths occurred. There were also four births at the concert, but the violence at Altamont presaged a turn in the tide for the development of hippie culture in the United States.

1970-1973

"Whoever marries the zeitgeist will be a widower soon." – August Everding


By 1970, the 1960s 1960s

The 1960s decade [i] refers to the years from 1960 [i] to 1969 [i], inclusive. ... 

 zeitgeist that had spawned hippie culture seemed to be on the wane. The events at the Altamont Music Festival Altamont Music Festival

[i]
... 

 shocked many Americans, including those who had strongly identified with hippie culture. Another shock came in the form of the Tate/LaBianca murders committed in August, 1969 by Charles Manson Charles Manson

Charles Manson is an American [i] convict and career criminal, most famous for his actio ... 

 and his "family" of followers. Manson was a hard-core, institutionalized criminal who had been released from prison just in time for San Francisco's Summer of Love. With his long hair and the ability to charm a crowd with his guitar playing, his singing, and his rhetoric, Manson exhibited many of the outward manifestations of hippie identity. Yet Manson hardly exemplified the hippie ideals of peace, love, compassion and human fellowship; through twisted logic and psychological manipulation, he inspired his followers to commit murder.

Manson's highly publicized 1970 trial and subsequent conviction in January, 1971 irrevocably tarnished the hippie image in the eyes of the American public. Other factors--for instance, the arrival of hard drugs and their associated dependency--also contributed to the decline.

After 1971 the hippie movement gradually became less visible as a distinct social phenomenon, especially in the United States. Many hippies moved to rural locations out of a desire to pursue more simple lives; they were no longer the focus of urban mainstream media attention. And the conclusion of U.S. involvement in Vietnam after the 1973 peace accords meant that many hippies felt less compelled to engage politically.

Many Americans who had once accepted the "hippie" label chose to adopt more conventional outer personas, while holding fast to the timeless ideals that had fueled the hippie movement from its beginnings. By the early 1970s 1970s

The 1970s decade [i] refers to the years from 1970 [i] to 1979 [i], inclusive. ... 

 much of hippie style had been integrated into mainstream American society.

Worldview


Politics




Hippies were often pacifists Pacifism

Pacifism is the opposition to war [i] or violence [i] as a means of settling disputes. ... 

 and participated in non-violent political demonstrations, such as civil rights marches, the marches on Washington D.C., and anti-Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

 demonstrations, including draft Conscription in the United States

The United States [i] has employed conscription [i] several times, usually during war but also during the nomi... 

 card burnings and the 1968 Democratic Convention protests. The degree of political involvement varied widely among hippies, from those who were completely apolitical to Yippies Youth International Party

The Youth International Party was a highly theatrical political party [i] established in the United States [i] ... 

, the most politically active hippie sub-group.

In addition to non-violent political demonstrations, hippie opposition to the Vietnam War included organizing political action groups to oppose the war, refusal to serve in the military and conducting "teach-ins" on college campuses that covered Vietnamese history and the larger political context of the war.

Some American United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

s, especially conservatives Conservatism

Conservatism is a political philosophy [i] that necessitates a defense of established values or the stat ... 

, military personnel, and veterans Veteran

A veteran is a person who is experienced in a particular area, and is particularly used to refer to peop... 

, saw hippie opposition to the war as a lack of commitment to the principles of American freedom in the Cold War Cold War

The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical [i], ideological [i], and economic [i]... 

 battle against communism. They also felt that even non-violent public demonstrations against the Vietnam War were unpatriotic because they compromised the ability of the United States to prosecute the war.

Scott McKenzie's 1967 rendition of John Phillips' song "San Francisco," which inspired the hippie Summer of Love, became a homecoming song for all Vietnam veterans arriving in San Francisco from 1967 on. Mr. McKenzie has dedicated every American performance of "San Francisco" to Vietnam veterans, and he sang at the 2002 20th anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial Wall. "San Francisco" became a freedom song worldwide, especially in Eastern European nations that suffered under Soviet-imposed communism.

Other songs, such as Lloyd Marcus' "Welcome Home Brother," have given voice to Vietnam veterans who felt disrespected by hippies and who lamented that fellow Americans never properly honored them for their sacrifices in serving the nation.

Although hippies were sometimes accused of verbally attacking soldiers returning home from duty in Vietnam, or participating in the torching of ROTC Reserve Officers' Training Corps

The Reserve Officer Training Corps is a training program of the United States armed forces [i] present o... 

 buildings on college campuses, with the exception of a small radical fringe element hippies did not verbally assault military personel and did not condone acts of political violence. With the release of FBI records under the Freedom of Information Act, it has become clear that many such attacks were actually perpetrated by FBI COINTELPRO agents provocateurs operating on J. Edgar Hoover J. Edgar Hoover

John Edgar Hoover KBE [i] was the founder of the Federal Bureau of Investigation [i]... 

's instructions to discredit those who opposed the Vietnam War.

Hippie political expression often took the form of "dropping out" of society to implement the changes they sought. At their inception, the back to the land movement, cooperative business enterprises Cooperative

A cooperative is a group of persons who join together or co-operate [i], to carry on an economic activit ... 

, alternative energy Energy development

ergy development is the ongoing effort to provide sustainable, accessible energy [i] resources through know ... 

, the free press movement, and organic farming Organic farming

Organic farming is a form of agriculture which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers [i] ... 

 were all politically motivated hippie enterprises.

Sexual attitudes


Hippies regularly flouted societal prohibitions against interracial dating Miscegenation

Miscegenation is the mixing of different ethnicities [i] or race [i]s, especially in marriage [i] ... 

 and marriage Interracial marriage

Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing race [i]s marry [i]. ... 

. They were early advocates for the repeal of anti-miscegenation Miscegenation

Miscegenation is the mixing of different ethnicities [i] or race [i]s, especially in marriage [i] ... 

 laws that the U.S. Supreme Court declared unconstitutional in 1967 , but which remained on the books in some U.S. states until 2000.

With their emphasis on Free Love Free love

The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement [i] ... 

, hippies promoted many of the same counterculture Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 beliefs that found early expresssion in the Beat Generation Beat generation

The Beat Generation was a group of American writers [i] who came to prominence in the late 1950s [i] and ... 

. Co-habitation among unmarried couples was the norm, open relationships were common, and both Beats and Hippies advocated for legal and societal acceptance of most forms of consensual sexual expression outside the traditional bounds of marriage and procreation, with the exception of sex with children.

With regard to homosexuality Homosexuality

Homosexuality refers to sexual [i] and romantic [i] attraction between t ... 

 and bisexuality Bisexuality

Bisexuality is the sexual orientation which refers to the aesthetic [i], romantic [i], or ... 

, the Beats had demonstrated early tolerance during an era when homosexual expression of any sort was still punishable by stiff prison sentences. Although hippies espoused the same accepting attitude, hippie tolerance fell short of full inclusiveness; many hippies were not particularly comfortable with homosexuality when it came to communal living arrangements.

In fact, hippie domestic life seemed largely to default to traditional gender roles, with women doing most of the work— cooking, cleaning, child care, and so on—while the men engaged in creative, artistic pursuits. Images of women in hippie art abound, generally as innocents, goddesses or muses. Most hippie entrepreneurs, philosophers, commune founders and leaders, writers and artists were men. A notable exception was Lenore Kandel, whose Love Book got her busted for pornography in 1967.

Traditional gender roles gradually changed as hippie culture embraced modern feminism Feminism

Feminism is a diverse collection of social theories [i], political movement [i]s and moral philosophies [i] ... 

 and egalitarian principles. In 1970, Germaine Greer Germaine Greer

Germaine Greer is an Australian [i] academic, writer, and broadcaster, who is widely regarded ... 

, Australian Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere [i] c ... 

 feminist and active member of the hippie movement, published The Female Eunuch, in which she expounded on free love Free love

The term free love has been used since at least the nineteenth century to describe a social movement [i] ... 

, sexual liberation and the nonsensical nature of women's bras; hippie women were among the first to remove theirs.

Drugs


Marijuana
The recreational use of marijuana Cannabis (drug)

The drug [i] cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis [i]... 

 had been established by the Beats Beatnik

The term beatnik was coined by Herb Caen [i] in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle [i] on ... 

, and the drug appears in Jack Kerouac's Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac was an American [i] novelist [i], writer [i], poet [i], artist [i], and pa ... 

 1950's novel "On The Road On the Road

On the Road is a novel by Jack Kerouac [i], published by Viking Press [i] in 1957 [i] ... 

", which was widely read by many soon-to-be hippies.

Terry H. Anderson describes the increase in marijuana use in the 1960s: 4 percent of youth aged 18 to 25 had tried marijuana at the beginning of the decade. Twelve years later, the figure had risen to 50 percent for youth and 60 percent for college students, with some universities even higher.
Psychedelics
Hippies enlarged their repertoire of recreational drugs to include not only marijuana but also hallucinogen Psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants

Certain drug [i]s can affect the subjective qualities of perception [i], thought [i] or emotion [i] ... 

s such as LSD LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly called LSD, or LSD-25, is a semisynthetic [i] psychedelic drug [i] ... 

, psilocybin, and mescaline Mescaline

Mescaline is a hallucinogenic [i] alkaloid [i] of the phenethylamine [i] ... 

. The use of these drugs became common in hippie settings.

On the East Coast of the United States East Coast of the United States

The "East Coast," "Eastern Seaboard," or "Atlantic Seaboard" are terms referencing the easte... 

 Harvard professors Timothy Leary Timothy Leary

Timothy Francis Leary, Ph.D. [i] was an American [i] writer [i] ... 

 and Richard Alpert Ram Dass

Dr. Richard Alpert, later known as Baba Ram Dass, was a professor of psychology [i] at Harvard University [i] ... 

 advocated the use of psychotropic drugs for religious purposes. Regarding LSD, Leary said, "Expand your consciousness and find ecstasy and revelation within."

Legacy

Hippies were simultaneously criticised for being both 'too idealist' and 'too shallow'. The reason in part is that the early hippies did indeed want society to become more idealistic; but as hippie style began grow more and more mainstream, some of the very elements of the society they had been rebelling against, who wanted society to be even more shallow than it already was in the 1950s, also became attracted to the more superficial aspects of the movement, as a vehicle to relax standards further. This quickly resulted in a general watering-down of the culture, fashion and philosophy aspects of the hippie movement.

By 1970, much of hippie music and fashion had thus become mainstream —large rock concerts that originated with the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival Monterey Pop Festival

The Monterey International Pop Music Festival took place from June 16 [i] to June 18 [i], 1967 [i]. ... 

, and the 1968 Isle of Wight Festival Isle of Wight Festival

The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival [i] which takes place on the Isle of Wight [i], an island ... 

 became the norm; mustaches, beards and longer hair abounded; and colorful, multi-ethnic clothing dominated the fashion world. The media lost interest in the subculture in the mid-seventies as it went out of fashion with younger people, the war ended, and hippies became targets for ridicule with the advent of punk rock Punk rock

Punk rock is an anti-establishment [i] rock music [i] movement with origins in the United States [i] and ... 

 and disco Disco

Disco is a genre of music that originated in discothque [i]s. ... 

.

During the decades since the 1960s, many of the more substantive aspects of hippie counterculture Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 have also became mainstream:

  • Interracial dating and marriage have became much more common and are now generally accepted practices. Multiracial children of such unions, like Tiger Woods Tiger Woods

    Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is an American [i] golf [i]er whose achievements to date rank him a ... 

     and Keanu Reeves Keanu Reeves

    Keanu Charles Reeves is a British [i]-Canadian [i] actor [i]. ... 

    , even enjoy a certain cachet Cachet

    In general terms cachet refers to "prestige", or a societal stamp of approval.

... 

 in many circles.

  • Public political demonstrations are considered legitimate expressions of free speech.


  • Unmarried couples of all ages feel free to travel together and live together without societal disapproval.


  • Frankness regarding sexual matters has become the norm—even conservative talk radio hosts, like Dr. Laura, feel free to exclaim "Orgasms are cool!"


  • In urban centers especially, and in corporate America, the rights of homosexual Homosexuality

    Homosexuality refers to sexual [i] and romantic [i] attraction between t ... 

    , bisexual Bisexuality

    Bisexuality is the sexual orientation which refers to the aesthetic [i], romantic [i], or ... 

     and transexual people have been greatly expanded.


  • Religious and cultural diversity has gained widespread acceptance, and most people are aware of at least some Eastern religious and spiritual concepts—karma and reincarnation Reincarnation

    "Past Lives" redirects here.... 

     in particular


  • Co-operative business enterprises and creative community living arrangements are widely accepted.


  • Interest in natural food, herbal remedies and vitamins is widespread, and the little hippie "health food stores" of the 60s and 70s are now large-scale businesses.

In general


Many hippies made, and continue to maintain, long-term commitments to the lifestyle. However, quite a few younger people hold that many hippies "sold out" during the 1980s 1980s

The 1980s [i] officially refers to the years from 1980 [i] to 1989 [i]. ... 

 and became consumed by materialism.

As of 2006, hippies are found in bohemian Bohemianism

Though a Bohemian [i] is a native of the Czech [i] province of Bohemia [i], a secondary meaning ... 

 enclaves around the world or as wanderers following the bands they love. Many have been followers of the lifestyle since it began, though their ranks also include younger people who do not consider themselves "neo-hippies."

Contemporary hippies have made use of the World Wide Web World Wide Web

The World Wide web is a global, read-write information [i] space. ... 

 and can be found on virtual communities such as , the largest International Hippie community on the web, or in the UK. In the United Kingdom United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country and sovereign state [i] tha ... 

, the New age travellers New age travellers

New age travellers or Peace Convoy are a peculiarly international social phenomenon consisting of ... 

 movement revived many hippie traditions into the 1980s 1980s

The 1980s [i] officially refers to the years from 1980 [i] to 1989 [i]. ... 

 and 1990s 1990s

The 1990s [i] decade [i] refers to the years from 1990 [i] to 1999 [i], inclusive, sometimes informally ... 

. Also, there are many events, festivals Festival

A festival or fest is an event, usually staged by a local community, which centers on some theme, ... 

 and parties Party

A party is a social gathering intended primarily for celebration [i] and recreation [i]. ... 

 that promote hippie lifestyles and values.

The "boho-chic Boho-chic

Boho-chic was a style of female fashion [i], drawing on various bohemian [i] and hippie [i] ... 

" fashion style of 2003-5 had a number of hippie features and, indeed, the London Evening Standard used the term "hippie chic" .

Rainbow Family


In the United States some hippie types refer to themselves as "Rainbows," a name derived from the tie-dyed T-shirts they wear and, for some, from their participation in the hippie-like group, "Rainbow Family of Living Light". Since the early 1970s 1970s

The 1970s decade [i] refers to the years from 1970 [i] to 1979 [i], inclusive. ... 

, they rendezvous informally on U.S. National Forest Land at Rainbow Gathering Rainbow Gathering

Rainbow Gatherings are freeform gatherings of individuals who come together on public lands with an expr... 

s, with the motto "peace, love, harmony, freedom and community." Rainbow Gatherings, or World Gatherings, are also held in many other parts of the world.

Festivals


Nambassa

Between 1976 and 1981, a series of large hippie-conceived festivals called Nambassa Nambassa

----
Nambassa was the name of a hippie [i]-conceived festival, held between 1976 and 1981 on large farms ... 

 were held on large farms around Waihi Waihi

Waihi is a town in the North Island [i] of New Zealand [i]. ... 

 and Waikino Waikino

Waikino is a small town situated in the North Island [i] of New Zealand [i] nestled in the Southern end ... 

 in New Zealand New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the south-western Pacific Ocean [i] consisting of two large islands and many ... 

- Aotearoa. These were music festivals that focused on peace Peace

Peace is commonly understood to mean the absence of hostilities. Other definitions include freedom f... 

, love Love

Love is a profound feeling [i] of tender affection [i] for or intense attraction [i] ... 

, and a balanced lifestyle. In addition to music, they featured workshops and displays advocating alternative lifestyles, clean and sustainable energy, and unadulterated foods.

Nambassa is also the tribal name of a trust that has championed sustainable ideas and demonstrated practical counterculture Counterculture

In sociology [i], counterculture is a term used to describe a cultural group [i] whose values and norms ... 

 and alternative lifestyle methods from the early 1970s to the present.


Glastonbury Festival
Some hippies gather at organized annual festivals, such as the Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury Festiv... 

  in the UK. In 2005 this festival covered 900 acres and attracted 150,000 people to see more than 385 live performances of dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.
Oregon Country Fair
The Oregon Country Fair is a three-day festival that began in 1969 as a benefit for an alternative school. The festival features hand-made crafts, educational displays and costumed entertainment in a wooded setting near Veneta, Oregon just west of Eugene. Each year the festival gathering becomes the fourth largest city in the state of Oregon.

Burning Man
The Burning Man Burning Man

Burning Man is an eight-day-long festival [i] held annually, beginning on the last Monday of August and ... 

 festival is an annual gathering that began as a 1986 San Francisco celebration and is now held in the Black Rock Desert Black Rock Desert

External links
  • - Information about Black Rock Desert's annual rocket festivity.

... 

 northeast of Reno, Nevada Reno, Nevada

Reno is the county seat [i] of Washoe County [i], Nevada [i], United States [i]. ... 

. Though few participants would accept the "hippie" label, Burning Man is a contemporary expression of alternative community in the same spirit as early hippie events. The gathering becomes a temporary city , with elaborate encampments, displays and many art cars Art car

An art car is a vehicle [i] that has its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. ... 

.

Pejorative connotations

In popularizing the term, columnist Herb Caen's daily references to hippies mostly expressed fascination and mild amusement rather than disapproval. Following his lead, many participants in the movement accepted the hippie label and used it in a non-pejorative sense.

Among those of the Beat Generation Beat generation

The Beat Generation was a group of American writers [i] who came to prominence in the late 1950s [i] and ... 

, the flood of 1960s youngsters adopting Beatnik Beatnik

The term beatnik was coined by Herb Caen [i] in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle [i] on ... 

 sensibilities appeared to be cheap, mass-produced imitations of the Beatnik artist community. By Beat standards, these newcomers were not clever enough to really be "hip," so hippie was a term they used with disdain.

Conservatives American conservatism

American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States [i] under the ... 

 of the period used the term hippie as an insult toward young adults whom they thought unpatriotic, uninformed, and naive. Conservatives were especially critical of hippies who advocated wholesale rejection of middle class values or who espoused leftist political viewpoints.

Liberals Liberalism

Liberalism is an ideology [i], philosophical view [i], and political tradition which holds that liberty [i] ... 

 also used the hippie label pejoratively. They regarded hippies as lacking political sophistication and hesitated to enlist their aid in promoting progressive political objectives. They also criticized what they saw as a hippie tendency towards degeneracy.

Others used the term hippie in a more personal way to disparage long-haired, unwashed, unkempt drug users.

In contemporary conservative settings, and especially in political discourse, the term hippie alludes to slacker attitudes, irresponsibility, participation in recreational drug use, activism in causes considered relatively trivial, and leftist political leanings. An example is its use by the South Park South Park

South Park is a Peabody [i] and Emmy Award [i]-winning American [i] animated television series [i]... 

 cartoon character, Eric Cartman Eric Cartman

Eric Theodore Cartman, voiced [i] by Trey Parker [i], is a fictional character [i] in the animated series [i] ... 

. In the "Die Hippie, Die Die Hippie, Die

"Die Hippie, Die" is episode 902 of Comedy Central [i]'s South Park [i].... 

" episode , the entire town joins Cartman in his negative view of hippies after they invade South Park for a "Hippie Music Jam Festival … [creating] the largest such gathering in the history of Man."

Neo-hippies


Neo-hippies, some of whom are sons, daughters and grandchildren of the original hippies, advocate many of the same beliefs of their 1960s 1960s

The 1960s decade [i] refers to the years from 1960 [i] to 1969 [i], inclusive. ... 

 counterparts.

Drug use is just as accepted as in the "original" hippie days, although most neo-hippies do not consider it necessary to take drugs in order to be part of the lifestyle.

Many of today's neo-hippies were prominent in the "Dead-head" and "Phish-head" communities. They often attend music and art festivals around the United States, and the bands performing at the festivals are usually called "Jam Bands" because many of their songs contain long instrumentals similar to 1960s hippie bands. Psychedelic Trance music is also popular.

The biggest jam band hippie festival is called The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival Bonnaroo Music Festival

The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual rock festival [i] by Superfly Productions [i] and AC Entertainment [i] ... 

. It is a four-day, multi-stage, summer camping festival held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, and it is reminiscent of the festivals of the 1960s, but with the demise of the Grateful Dead and Phish Phish

Phish was an American [i] rock band noted for jamming [i] and improvisation [i]. ... 

, the nomadic touring hippies are left without a seminal jam band to follow.

Hippie slang and the Wolof language

A number of words that became widely used slang among hippies can perhaps be traced to the Wolof language, which is spoken in West Africa West Africa

West Africa or Western Africa is the west [i]ernmost region [i] of the Africa [i]n continent [i]. ... 

  and is related to the Mandinka language. One possible scenario as to how these words came into English: a number of Wolof-speaking people were brought from West Africa to America as slaves, and their descendants became involved in the Jazz Jazz

Jazz is an original American music [i]al art form originating around the start of the 20th century [i] ... 

 and Beatnik Beatnik

The term beatnik was coined by Herb Caen [i] in an article in the San Francisco Chronicle [i] on ... 

 scenes. European American European American

A European American, or a Euro-American, is a person who resides in the United States [i] and is ... 

 participants in the Jazz and Beatnik scenes emulated African American African American

An African American is a member of an ethnic group [i] in the United States [i] whose ancestors, usual... 

 ways and language and eventually influenced the hippie movement.

Many of these etymologies are not generally accepted by linguists :

  • hep, hipi, hippy = open eyes, knowledge, wisdom, well informed, up-to-date, to open one's eyes, be aware of what is going on. Usage: "He is hip to the scene." "He's a true hippy."
  • cat, -kat = friend, fellow, suffix denoting a person. Usage: "He is one crazy cat."
  • hep-cat = person who understands, common phrase used in 1960s. Usage: "He's a hep-cat."
  • dig, deg, dega = understand, appreciate, pay attention. Usage: "You dig what I'm saying?"
  • honk, honky = white, pink, pale. Used to refer to white people. Usage: "How's it hanging, honky."
  • boko, bogus, bunk = fake, deceit, fraud. Usage: "This game is bogus."
  • jive, jaiv = lie, trick. Usage: "Don't jive me, fool."
  • cool = calm, controlled, slow. Translation of suma, meaning cool. Usage: "Be cool man."
  • okay, wo kay = everything is good. Usage: "I feel okay."

See also

  • The Sixties 1960s

    The 1960s decade [i] refers to the years from 1960 [i] to 1969 [i], inclusive. ... 



;People and groups
  • Bob Fass Bob Fass

    Bob Fass was a pioneering free-form radio personality who for more than 40 years has provided New York a... 

  • Albert Hofmann Albert Hofmann

    Dr. Albert Hofmann is a prominent Swiss [i] scientist best known as the "father [i] ... 

  • Abbie Hoffman Abbie Hoffman

    Abbott Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a social and political activist [i] in the United States [i] ... 

  • Allen Ginsberg Allen Ginsberg

    Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American [i] Beat poet [i] born in Newark, New Jersey [i]. ...&nbs